


Spur of the Moment

by graylights



Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 15:02:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15221756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graylights/pseuds/graylights
Summary: Spoiling Cloud remains Zack's favorite pass time, no matter how many years since they've been together. An obnoxiously fluffy speed drabble for Clack Day 2018.





	Spur of the Moment

“We’re getting a divorce.” The narrow stare over the soaped up plate could have burned a hole through the atmosphere as Cloud shuffled the dish into the drying rack and dropped the sponge absently into the sink.

“But we’re not even _married!_ ” Zack didn’t even try to mask that whine. But he also didn’t admonish that toothy grin off his face either. The kind that already had Cloud actively shoving him away. Or was that actively shoving the step stool away? Hard to say, but with Zack’s hands up at his defense, it was easy for Cloud to target them right then. And even easier when Zack didn’t fight him with the way he pointedly pried at fingers of those bigger hands to take the item of offense back.

Only once Zack had a grip on it did Cloud put his weight into the rest of that and Zack took a few steps backwards before he righted himself. At least he tried to, but he was soon bent over with laughter amidst the furious daggers shot his way. And that expression only had him howling louder.

“It’s not that funny, Zack!”

“You mean it’s hilarious! You should'a seen the look on your face, Spike!”

A huff answered him and now Cloud was crossing his arms, facing away from Zack. Only then did Zack finally sober up from his maniacal mess of cackling. Might have swiped a tear or two away in the process, but he did finally quit with an, “Okay, okay. I’ll stop.”

“And you’re taking it back to wherever you got it, _too_.”

“You sure you don’t need it? ‘cause I see you really struggling sometimes-”  
  
“ _Zack-_ ”

“Okay, _okay!_ Sir, yes, sir!” His salute as he left the room was met with a sopping wet sponge to his face.  
  
“ _Jerk_.”

* * *

Despite the initial misgivings, Cloud’s annoyance melted away fast for the rest of that morning on their mutual day off. He and Zack spent it out together after the hassle of washing dishes and hanging laundry. Their dryer broke the night before. Usually, Zack would be groaning and moaning about getting it fixed, but that day’s plans took priority, far too important to pass up.

Plans that included time in a recently opened tiny arcade followed by fried foods drenched in sticky, sweet sugar or other tangy textures. They walked together as they munched together and considered picking up things from the market going on in that hot, afternoon sun. At some point, Zack had found Cloud’s hand and pulled him toward a stall after Cloud made a few occasional sneaking glances that way.

“Zack- Wait, come on! That’s _way_ too much!” Ignoring the upset, Zack pulled out a few bills and paid the young woman behind the booth with a smile and a wink.

“Don’t mind him. He’s just all embarrassed 'cause I’m spoiling the hell out of him.”  
  
“Look, just because it’s our- we’re _out_ , doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on me! Where’d you get all that gil _anyway?_ ”

“I took a few extra odd jobs- Besides, it’s not a fortune. It’s just some cloudberries. We got some cloudberry pie to make later anyway, right?”

The sweet smile Zack shot him might not have deterred him from arguing further, but the people behind them did and Cloud stared sourly at the ground, shoving hands in pockets. It did nothing to erase the red tinge that had crossed his face, but he vehemently ignored it in favor of pressing forward away from the stall. Zack hurried to catch up.

* * *

That underlying mood lingered even as they wrapped up their shopping and stopped to grab some Wutain stir fry on the way back to their apartment. Usually, Zack would have insisted on dining in at the little restaurant. But if nothing else, Zack had enough sense to tell when Cloud wasn’t in the mood to be out in the crowds anymore. So, instead, he focused his energy on setting out the steaming containers on their tiny kitchen island before hopping up to have a seat on his own bar stool.

He let them eat in at least.. _mildly_ comfortable silence a while as the gears in Cloud’s head turned and his gaze kept fixing on and off of Zack’s face. A bite of his lip here. A sigh there. Until finally…

“Sorry, Zack.”

Zack tilted his head at that but didn’t seem surprised. He leaned in a bit with his elbow on the counter and his head resting in one hand, the other poking at his fried chocobo. “What for?”

“You know..” Cloud shook his head as he drew into himself, feeling small, and frowned down at his own food. “About earlier. I know what you were trying to do and It’s not like I _don’t_ appreciate what you do for me.”

“Just too much?” Zack tilted his head the other way now almost expectantly, but Cloud shook his head again.

“It’s not even that. You _just_ \- You always seem to have something planned every year and I never do. And I always feel really bad about it in the end. It feels like it always ends up like it’s all about me when it’s about you, _too_ , you know?”

At that answer, Zack couldn’t help that foolish grin of his- if not a bit of a sheepish one. “I know. But that’s my favorite part of today, you know? I have an excuse to do all this for _you_ , Spike. And you know I love doing it.”

“Well- _yeah_. But I’d.. like to do all of that for you, too, you know?” Years ago, something like that might have never been uttered out of Cloud so openly. But that was then and this was now. Cloud met Zack’s eyes evenly as he finally reached over. Zack met him halfway, taking that smaller hand in his larger one. He smoothed his callused thumb over the back of it in soft strokes.

“I’m sorry, Cloud. I guess I _do_ get pretty carried away.” The raised eyebrow had Zack quickly reevaluating. “Okay, I get _really_ carried away.” He hummed to himself as he thought aloud, giving Cloud’s hand a little squeeze. “So, how about this? Next year, we’ll talk out plans the night before. Then, you also can pick a place you want to take me to.”

“Maybe set a limit on surprises, too. I don’t wanna know how many hours you worked to earn the arcade tokens you did.” The little squint already had Zack running his hand awkwardly through his spiky, black hair as he muttered something soundlessly. Rubbing his neck, he finally agreed with a short nod.

“Speaking of _surprises_ ….”

Cloud balked. “Just how many did you-”

Zack immediately raised his hands at his own defense. “Last surprise, I _promise!_ ” One long stare later and Cloud finally snorted, himself. Shook his head and now a smile was peeking out of the corners of his mouth. A smile that finally bloomed in full when Zack raised their hands to kiss the back of his before Zack scrambled to get up. He wandered over to reach high and far towards the back end of the cabinet above the fridge.

“So, what was the point of giving me that stool this morning again when you went out of your way to hide something up high and _then_ gave me a way to find it?”

Grunting, Zack first swatted at Cloud before putting the little box down on the counter between them. Already, he was invading his personal space with a: “Hush, you. And close your eyes.” As amused as Cloud was to finally get in a good jab back, he did as told. Shortly after, he could hear the hollow drop of the box lid hitting the island’s faux marble surface. And then a hand was teasing through his blond hair, tucking it behind his ear. It wasn’t until he felt that pair of hands fiddling around his earlobe that Cloud froze.

“ _Now_ , you can open them.”

A pool of hesitance filled Cloud despite following the prompt, but he did so and was met with.. himself. Blinking, he recognized the frame of the familiar mirror. That sure explained what it had been doing sitting on the countertop earlier, lodged between their napkin holder haphazardly. But that was the last thing on his mind as he turned his head and saw the new stud on his ear. For as simple as it appeared, the style of it was telling enough that Zack went out of his way yet _again_ with the tiny pattern of dragon scales. And as Zack ducked in to wrap his arms around his shoulders and tilt his head up against the other, Cloud’s eyes widened further at the trickle of glittering light that reflected off the stud from the one Zack had slipped on himself.

“Zack… You _do_ know what these are, right?”

Raising a brow at Cloud’s reflection, Zack shrugged and answered, nonchalant. “Earrings. What, you don’t like them?”

“Zack, these are for if you’re gonna get _engaged_.” Now, it was Zack’s turn to recoil in bewilderment. He found himself itching at the stubble under his chin as he seemed consider the circumstances.

“Well, that would sure explain why they kept asking me about you.”

“Well, yeah! They’re a big deal in Nibelheim! How did you even _get_ them?”

“I took that delivery job the other week up there, remember?”

“The one- _You…_ ” Flustered mess as he was, Cloud couldn’t quite bring himself to shove him away this time. But that certainly didn’t stop him from giving Zack a good poke in the ribs.

Zack took the assault in stride even as he caught Cloud’s hands in his own now, giving them a squeeze. “So, does that mean it’s a yes?”

Cloud colored. “…What?”

“Our engagement, Spike. I mean unless you don’t wanna.”

“ _What?_ ”

“I mean you _did_ accept the gift. And you just _said_ that’s what they’re for, so we _could_ just make it official now, right? We’ve been dating for how long now?” Teasing as the initial inflection was, there was no doubt in those words. Zack’s gaze fixed sharply on the thoroughly embarrassed Cloud Strife.

“ _Zack!_ ” And _now_ , Cloud shoved him, red in the face as he practically squawked out his name. It sure didn’t stop the taller of the two from suddenly enveloping the other in a goofy hug that had him practically laying over his back. Zack chuckled into his ear.

“You can even divorce me like you said you wanted to if the stepping stool was really that bad.” Cloud’s grumble back at him fell halfhearted as he felt Zack kiss his ear.

“Don’t tempt me, Zack Fair..” But even as he muttered that, butterflies had already invaded his stomach as the full weight of the situation sunk in. And for all the grief Cloud had given him, he was the first to pull Zack down for a proper kiss the moment he’d released him from that hug.

* * *

Years down the line, Zack would finally admit that he’d known all along about Nibelheim tradition and have hell to pay for it. But it sure made for a good story.

**Author's Note:**

> Earrings were inspired from the design you can find right here:  
> https://www.etsy.com/listing/577206414/8mm-rose-gold-mermaid-scale-earrings?ref=hp_rv


End file.
